|
|
Michael Jordan is watching.
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony found that out last week.
Two days after Anthony declined to enter the game in the fourth quarter of a March 19 game at Detroit, his cell phone rang. It was Jordan.
"He called me," said Anthony, who endorses Nike's Jordan Brand shoes.
"We talk sometimes."
It seems Jordan was displeased with what he had heard about the incident. He
told Anthony about Scottie Pippen's image being hurt after he declined to enter
a Chicago Bulls playoff game 10 years ago.
"Yeah," said Anthony, when asked if Jordan expressed some disappointment.
"He was on the outside looking in. I don't hear everything that's going
on. . . . He told me that it was over with. I just have to learn from my experiences."
Anthony admits the incident will hurt him in voting for Rookie of the Year.
He said on ESPN's Sunday Night Conversation that it means "the Rookie of
the Year award is slowly going down the ocean right now."
Anthony, battling Cleveland's LeBron James for the rookie prize, was asked Monday
to elaborate.
"Yeah," Anthony said about the incident hurting his chances. "In
my opinion, (winning the award is) not going to happen."
So perhaps Anthony won't join Jordan - the 1985 winner - as a Rookie of the
Year. But he will continue to talk regularly with the man he considers a mentor.
"He calls me and gives me advice," Anthony said. "He just tells
me, that if we lose, to stay focused because it's a long season. If we win,
just keep doing what I'm doing."
As for carrying the Nuggets down the stretch in a race for the playoffs, Anthony
said, "I've got big shoulders."
SHOOTING FOR 42: It worked 10 years ago. How about this year?
In 1993-94, the Nuggets went 42-40 and claimed the No. 8 playoff spot in the
Western Conference. Then they went on a dramatic playoff run, upsetting top-seeded
Seattle in the first round before losing to Utah in the second round in seven
games.
Now, the Nuggets (38-37) are talking about 42 wins being what it might take
to again land the No. 8 playoff spot. That means Denver, which faces Seattle
at home tonight, would need to win four of its remaining seven games.
"I really think that if we win 42, we're going to get in," guard Jon
Barry said. "That forces Utah to win five. They've struggled with their
remaining opponents. And Portland has San Antonio and (the Los Angeles Lakers
twice). I honestly think 42 gets us in."
The Nuggets are one-half game behind the Jazz (38-36) and percentage points
behind the Trail Blazers (37-36) for the No. 8 spot. But Denver holds tiebreakers
over both teams.
If the Nuggets get to 42 wins, Utah must go 5-3 to beat them out. Portland would
need to go 6-3.
After tonight, the Nuggets have home games left against Houston, Portland and
Sacramento and road games at Phoenix, Houston and San Antonio.
Title contenders Sacramento and San Antonio are the season's final two games,
but it's not out of the question either team could rest starters if it knows
its playoff position.
LIGHT SCHEDULE: While the Jazz and Trail Blazers each have nine games left,
the Nuggets have seven. Is that an advantage or disadvantage?
It depends whom you ask.
"I'm a gamer," center Marcus Camby said. "I like to play games.
Everyone likes games more than practices."
Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik first was noncommittal when asked about the lighter
schedule. Then he was reminded about the health of guard Voshon Lenard, whom
Bzdelik calls "doubtful" for tonight due to bruised ribs.
"You could say that (it's an advantage to have fewer games)," Bzdelik
said.
Lenard, who didn't practice Monday, already has missed two games because of
the injury suffered Wednesday against Minnesota.
With Denver's schedule spread out (its next two games after tonight are Friday
at home against Houston and April 7 at Phoenix), that could mean fewer absences
for Lenard.
"It's very painful and it's a tough injury," said Bzdelik, who hopes
Lenard will be able to play against the Rockets.
Barry, who has replaced Lenard as a starter, sees it as a positive that Denver's
games are spaced out. Barry, 34, admits it's been a little tough going from
barely being used a few weeks ago to playing big minutes.
"I'm a little bit spent," said Barry, who played 33 minutes Friday
at Seattle and 26 the next night at Utah. "I could use a day in an ice
bath. Actually, I got some ice on me (during Sunday's day off from practice)
playing golf in the snow. That felt good. But I hadn't done anything in a couple
of weeks, garbage time here and there, and then basically just getting thrown
in."